


Good Boy

by Bexii



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen, Mentioned Ignis Scientia, Not Beta Read, Self-Doubt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:55:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27963371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bexii/pseuds/Bexii
Summary: Day Two of Gladio WeekPrompt: Night in Lestalum / "Between you and me...""Gladio, in a moment of self-doubt, finds comfort from an unlikely source."Implied Gladnis but can be read as general.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia & Ignis Scientia
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9
Collections: Gladio Week





	Good Boy

**Author's Note:**

> Written on my phone and un-beta'ed XD

Sitting on the top step leading into the Leville Hotel, now a safe haven for those escaping the deamons, Gladio groaned loudly, burying his head in his hands.  
Tonight had been a rough night and due to his misguidance and negligence, they'd lost a few good men too. He had been sloppy and if Ignis found out, Gladio would be in for the lecture of his life about how he should think things through thoroughly before charging in and that he needs to be more diligent.  
He would then comfort Gladio and shoulder the burden as best he could, trying to take as much of Gladio's stresses as he could.  
As if he didn't have enough burdens of his own! No, Gladio wanted to do as much as he could to lessen Ignis's burdens, not add to them. Never would he do that willingly.

So here he was, sat outside the hotel, waiting for enough time to pass so he could go back to the room he and Ignis shared. Hopefully the other man was already asleep? Perhaps that was just wishful thinking on his part - Ignis would wait up until Gladio's return, especially as he knew he had returned from his latest mission.

Hearing a sudden noise, Gladio looked up to see Umbra sitting in front of him, bushy tale brushing the ground softly as he tilted his head.  
Seeing the dog always brought a smile to Gladio's face. He would remember Noct's reddened face whenever he would quickly scribble a response to Lunafreya and snap the book shut so nobody had the chance to sneak a glance at his words. Now, Gladio would smile for another reason - Umbra helped Ignis in a way that even Gladio couldn't. Ignis would refuse their help, unwilling to share his burdens. He closed himself off, withdrew. It broke Gladio's heart to see Ignis like this, having Ignis reusing to accept help from him. 

However, Umbra began to appear and while Gladio did not know how or what happened, Ignis opened up again and sought help - sought Gladio. It was all thanks to Umbra. Now, it was rare to see Ignis without Umbra by his side.

Prompto had suggested that maybe Noct had sent Umbra to help Ignis in his stead, while he was currently unavailable. Maybe he was right? Who really knew?  
All Gladio knew was that he owed that dog for bringing Ignis back to him - back to all of them. Losing Noct, even temporary though it may be, had hurt. He didn't know if he could cope losing Ignis too, the only one who truly understood his unwavering loyalty and duty to the Crown...

"Hey, boy," he said, voice lowering ever so slightly. "Am I glad to see you."

As if sensing what Gladio was feeling, Umbra moved forward and nuzzled the man's hands.

Gladio laughed, relishing in how good it felt to do so, and stroked the dog behind his ears with both hands.

"Between you and me, sometimes I feel I'm not strong enough to do this - be Noct's Shield, helping save the world from the deamons and that lunatic, Ardyn. It gets real hard at times knowing that everyone is counting on me, counting on all of us. What if I'm not strong enough? What if I'm just not enough?"

Umbra whinged and nuzzled Gladio's hands once more before jumping upwards and banging his head against Gladio's.

Gladio laughed and bumped his head back against the dogs.

"I'm being stupid, aren't I?"

Umbra barked.

"Traitor," he laughed, pushing himself up but not before wrapping his arms around Umbra and speaking "good boy" into his thick fur.


End file.
